Lifespan
25-30 years in the wild
up to 36 years under human care.
Wildlife Reserves Singapore Group
Lifespan
up to 36 years under human care.
Diet
low growing succulents, shrubs, fruits, club moss, grasses, tubers, and aquatic plants
Habitat
Also secondary forests.
Range
through the Malayan Peninsula, as well as Sumatra, Indonesia.
The Malayan tapir has a dramatic coat pattern, often referred to as the "saddle" pattern because of its position and shape. The front half of their body and hind legs are black, while the sides are white. This breaks up its outline and creates an illusive vision of a boulder.
Which is why guests are always amazed by the appearance of a tapir on the tram route. You don’t see them until they’re right by the tram, sometimes an arm’s length from where you’re seated!
Tapirs are fast and agile swimmers. You might see our tapirs taking a dip in the pond in their exhibit, to cool off or wash away skin parasites.
Tapirs are known to walk along riverbeds, holding their breath for up to 90 seconds. Alternatively, they use their trunk as a snorkel!
The trunk also works like a hand to bring food to the mouth and to probe unfamiliar objects.
We are proud to have successfully bred endangered species like the Malayan tapir in our parks. In fact, they’re doing so well we’ve sent some off to places as far-flung as Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark. Through breeding and exchange programmes with other zoos, we strengthen the genetic pool of the animals after our care to ensure their future survival.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.
At relatively low risk of extinction
Likely to become vulnerable in the near future
At high risk of extinction in the wild
At very high risk of extinction in the wild
At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
Survives only in captivity
No surviving individuals in the wild or in captivity
